09/10 Budget Impact on PRes - Unit stand-downs, Class B Freeze, and so on!

[PuckChaser]

Cutting a LCol and a CWO will give you money for 4x Pte Basic.... then you have to replace the CO and the RSM with someone, giving you a huge gain of 2 untrained pers per unit. Unless of course said unit has more than one LCol and CWO on payroll, then maybe there's a problem with the Formation letting people stagnate in the unit instead of promoting them to positions commensurate with their rank.

 

[Brad Sallows]

The savings claimed can't be a whole pay packet unless an appointment/position is entirely removed.  The job still has to be done, so the savings is only the delta between the current rank and whatever one replaces it.  I'm all for reducing the actual administrative overhead required of reserve units, but that problem needs to be addressed by attacking the requirements, not by removing people and demanding those left pick up the burden.

 

[McG]

The savings claimed can't be a whole pay packet unless an appointment/position is entirely removed.  The job still has to be done, so the savings is only the delta between the current rank and whatever one replaces it.  I'm all for reducing the actual administrative overhead required of reserve units, but that problem needs to be addressed by attacking the requirements, not by removing people and demanding those left pick up the burden.

Attacking the requirements likely means rethinking the whole structure at the unit level.  There is also room to do he work at higher level HQs without cascading it down to the unit in a lot of cases.

 

[Remius]

Today's citizen.

http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/defencewatch/archive/2010/01/06/army-reserve-training-takes-brunt-of-dnd-fiscal-adjustments.aspx

 

[Rifleman62]

corp_express, can you spell "Bureaucracy"?

You should telephone your MP, followed up by an email explaining all the facts, names of who you spoke to. Tell the MP's rep what you want. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

 

[Dean22]

Today's citizen.

http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/defencewatch/archive/2010/01/06/army-reserve-training-takes-brunt-of-dnd-fiscal-adjustments.aspx

"At 31 Canadian Brigade Group in Southwestern Ontario, the budget has been cut by about 16 per cent. That works out to about $2.5 million on its $18.2-million budget, according to news reports. The brigade also cut 25 full-time jobs. Details about the impact on other reserve units across the country is now just starting to trickle in."

Woe is me.




EDIT: Unless someone printed the wrong numbers the article creator fails at mathematics. $2.5 mill of $18.2 million is a 13.7% cut not a 16% cut.

 

[corp_express]

You're right,  that would most likely stir the pot.

Would it produce results, I'm not so sure.

For now...  I'm content with raging my thoughts on here I guess. I will never be one, to actually get a hammer pulled down on someone, who I'm sure is trying their best.  Albeit failling in all regards.

 

[CallOfDuty]

  Corp,I can see why you would be upset for sure.  Is the anything other than infantry you'd be interested in?  Maybe this could be a chance for a new beginning. 

  In my experience with support trades, and other trades that I've met..the guys who were ex- infantry(or any combat arms) usually bring a level of professionalism and military bearing to their new units and it tends to rub off on others.

Cheers.

 

[corp_express]

The thought crossed my mind briefly... but I have no quals for any other trades...  Starting at the bottom of a long chain "all over again" to simply be part of something, that I am already a part of...   

Going from Inf MCpl Oversees to the equal of Pte Untrained...    Sigh  thanks for the advice,  but I have to wait 6 months before I can re-apply for a CT anyway. Well see how it all works out,  I just wish they could have held my file open until the trade re-opens...  that's the part that really gets me.

 

[PuckChaser]

I just wish they could have held my file open until the trade re-opens...  that's the part that really gets me.

If CTs work the same way an OT does, you have to accept the offer in the same fiscal year as the offer. This might explain why they can't keep your file open.

 

[George Wallace]

:-\

I could see you being made a Cpl and put onto a Trades course and perhaps promoted back to MCpl once you are qualified (as you are already PLQ qualified -- Right?).  This of course would be dependent on what Trade you may transfer to, and that Unit's hierarchy. 

 

[CallOfDuty]

...I know some MSE op remusters from combat arms who were allowed to skip the QL3 alltogether and show up to the new unit ready to work like the rest of us.  Keep in mind trades such as Airborne electronic sensor operator, or Search and rescue techs are  primarily filled with remusters. Sometimes Sgt's and WO's who've had to go back to being a corporal. 

  Anyway...not trying to take away from what you really want..just telling you it happens all the time 

 

[corp_express]

You are right,  and if OT's operate Fiscally, CT may be the same,  if that's the case,  it all makes sense...  I don't know if it's the best way of doing business, but it's the way we do it...  I guess I just got caught in a hole.

Sigh...  Guess I shouldn't have sat on the CT offer I got when I came home. Wouldn't be in this mess now.

 

[Spanky]

I don't have to defend Spanky but you could only hope to end up half the dedicated soldier that he is.

Awww Gee Shucks. :-[  Thanks Recceguy.  I'm pretty much finished with R031 on this point.  R031, the amount of money being spent on Class A LCols and CWOs is, I'm sure, not going to solve the problem of money being cut from the Reserve budget to the extent that we are experiencing.  The issue is much bigger being either one of poor planning by the "adults" that the Reserves are providing a quick, easy, and short-sighted solution for, or for those that wear tin-foil hats, something less than benevolent.  Either way, we need to be able to hold things together until the dust settles and we can see as far into the future as we can.  Those of us who have been in the reserves for a while have seen this before.  We got beyond it then...eventually, hopefully we will again.

 

[COBRA-6]

And it's not just the Inf NCM's.

I know a Res Inf Maj who was just told the same thing after he put his CT in: "closed". He also did a tour overseas, 4 of them. And Reg Force Phase Trg (incl Ph IV), and Reg F AOC.

Oh well, maybe he will still be around when the trade opens. Or maybe he will be like MANY other Class B's I know: prememtively left the Army for greener pastures elsewhere in the CF, or outside it completely.

You know I completely understand the need to trim budgets, cut fat, reduce overhead etc, but the haphazard knee-jerk way in which this is being conducted is totaly uncalled for. Instead of simply firing people here and there, not renewing contracts when they expire etc, why don't we look at ALL current class B posns, determine exactly which posns are essential and affordable, and then merit everyone for them? Too much work I guess... Or maybe those higher up don't want to have to answer "what would you say that you do here" a-la Office Space, or people that haven't passed a BFT or deployed since the last liberal government, yet are still on full-time contracts don't want to merited against those who have...

And the whole Reg F /Class B /Class C/double-dipping/CT employment mess needs to be revamped CF wide. There has got to be a better way to skin this cat.

Just my $0.02...   

 

[PuckChaser]

The CLS and LFC Comd stated in townhalls that they actually have no clue where all of these Cl B positions are... there was no accounting system to keep track of who got employed where and for what reason. I believe there is an audit going on at this time, but I'm sure some of the people that are actually employable are going to get their jobs cut in the mean time while the "Office Space" crew have become very good at staying under the radar.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Tinfoil hat time. Does anyone think the policy of a tour, employed in trade, and a CT into the same trade allowing you to carry your rank over to the Regs has anything to do with this?

ie: An armoured reservist crew commander qualified MCpl, if employed on tour as a crew commander, can CT straight to amoured Regs as a cc qual'd MCpl.

Maybe the powers that be have seen this as a way to shut off that tap?

 

[old fart]

Courses are just that courses.  A military career so much more unpinned by building lifelong experience in the regular world and rank if gained, gained in competion with an equivilent geen pool.

If you think rank gained in the reserves is equivalent then you are delusional, and likley incapable of understanding my and many others perspective on this.

Not easy reading for some, I'm sure.

My .02c.

 

[Haggis]

If you think rank gained in the reserves is equivalent then you are delusional, and likley incapable of understanding my and many others perspective on this.

So, a Reserve Inf WO - with two tours as an Inf WO  - who has completed the same ALQ and Inf DP4 as his Reg F coursemates (since both are total force courses)  is not equally as quailfied?

Is there a separate QS for ALQ and Inf DP4 that none of us know about?

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Courses are just that courses.  A military career so much more unpinned by building lifelong experience in the regular world and rank if gained, gained in competion with an equivilent geen pool.

If you think rank gained in the reserves is equivalent then you are delusional, and likley incapable of understanding my and many others perspective on this.

Not easy reading for some, I'm sure.

My .02c.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up. What's not easy reading is your post. In your haste to continue the slandering of Reserves you failed to look at your grammar, syntax and spelling. Or perhaps that's the level of your salient education. I don't know, but it was not easy.

I really don't care what your Jurassic attitudes and feelings are. The policy I stated is one that is in place and put there by people, unlike yourself, that can see past the edge of their desk. I had no part in the process. No one is arguing equivalencies. I'm sure you've ensured that no one, reg or reserve, ever ever reaches your lofty qualifications and experience. Heaven forbid you should ever have to abdicate your throne.

Just a hint, in case you've missed the twenty or so times you've been told in the last few days, cut the Reg\ Reserve slander bullshit. Everyone knows your a dinosaur and the scree is old and worn. Besides, it's been hashed out completely here before, and you lose.